On Tuesday, NBC Sports commentator Trenni Kusnierek joined Boston Public Radio to explain cheating allegations against Red Sox manager Alex Cora. An investigative report conducted by Major League Baseball and released Monday names Cora as an “active participant” in a scheme to perpetrate what Is known as electronic sign-stealing, both with the Red Sox in 2018 and the Houston Astros in 2017.
"Sign stealing is an age old tactic in baseball,” Kusnierek explained. "What you’re doing is– say there’s a runner on second base. The runner on second base is trying to figure out when the catcher is down in his crouch position, he puts a combination of signs down in between his legs. … And you try to figure out based on those signs that they’re relaying to the pitcher what pitch they’re going to throw."
On Monday, the Houston Astros fired both their manager and general manager after they were suspended by M.L.B officials for their role in the sign-stealing scheme. Cora has so far avoided punishment, though Kusnierek said he is due for even harsher repercussions. Monday’s investigation names him as a “active participant,” and references him 11 times in the nine page report.
But if sign-stealing is par for the course in baseball, what exactly is the issue?
"The problem with Alex Cora and the Houston Astros is that they have implemented the use of video to steal signs,” Kusnierek said. "They had a system in place where they would look at video, they would steal signs, and then they would relay it to someone on base, or in the batter’s box."
Read More: Houston Astros Dismiss Team Manager, General Manager Over Sign-Stealing Scandal
“[Cora] isn’t a guy who’s necessarily a bad guy,” Kusnierek said. "But you also can’t cheat in this way. … And it wasn’t like he cheated just once. … He designed a cheating system in Houston and then brought that cheating system to Boston."
